Computer enclosure incorporating drive bracket

ABSTRACT

A computer enclosure includes a cage ( 5 ) and a cover ( 80 ) attached to the cage. The cage includes a front panel ( 10 ) and a side panel ( 20 ). The front panel is rearwardly stamped to integrally form a vertical plate ( 14 ) opposing the side panel. The side panel is inwardly stamped to integrally form a horizontal plate ( 22 ) perpendicular to the front panel. A first flange ( 24 ) extends upwardly from a free edge of the horizontal plate, and abuts a bottom portion of the vertical plate. Rivets are extended through the bottom portion of the vertical plate and the first flange to form rivet joints between the vertical plate and the horizontal plate. The combined vertical plate, horizontal plate and the side panel cooperatively constitute a drive bracket. The cover includes a second flange ( 88 ) engaging with a top portion of the vertical plate by a rivet joint.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to computer enclosures, andparticularly to computer enclosures incorporating drive bracketsintegrally formed with the enclosures.

[0003] 2. Related Art

[0004] Various data storage devices are installed in computers forcommunication and handling of data. Drive brackets are often used tosecure such data storage devices inside the computers.

[0005] In a conventional computer, drive brackets are typically formedseparately from a computer enclosure. U.S. Pat. No. 5,564,804 disclosesa conventional drive bracket for accommodating a data storage device.The data storage device is firstly secured within the drive bracket. Thecombined drive bracket and data storage device is then slid into ahousing of a computer enclosure. U.S. Pat. No. 6,273,273 disclosesanother conventional drive bracket for accommodating a data storagedevice. The data storage device is firstly attached to the drivebracket. The combined drive bracket and data storage device is thenpivotally attached to a cage of a computer enclosure.

[0006] However, in the above-described disclosures, the drive bracketsare produced separately from the housing and the cage respectively.Production of the drive brackets requires extra material, thereby undulyinflating costs. Moreover, production and assembly of the correspondingcomputer enclosures is unduly complicated and time-consuming.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide acomputer enclosure which has a drive bracket integrally formed with thecomputer enclosure.

[0008] To achieve the above-mentioned object, a computer enclosure inaccordance with the present invention comprises a cage and a cover. Thecage comprises a front panel and a side panel. The front panel isrearwardly stamped to integrally form a vertical plate opposing the sidepanel. The side panel is inwardly stamped to integrally form ahorizontal plate perpendicular to the front panel. A first flangeextends upwardly from a free edge of the horizontal plate, and abuts abottom portion of the vertical plate. The first flange of the horizontalplate is engaged with the bottom portion of the vertical plate by rivetjoints. The combined vertical plate, horizontal plate and the side panelcooperatively constitute a drive bracket. The cover is attached to thecage and covers the drive bracket. The cover comprises a top platehaving a second flange depending therefrom. The second flange is engagedwith a top portion of the vertical plate by a rivet joint.

[0009] Other objects, advantages and novel features of the presentinvention will be drawn from the following detailed description of apreferred embodiment of the present invention with attached drawings, inwhich:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010]FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a computer enclosure in accordancewith the present invention;

[0011]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a cage of the computer enclosureof FIG. 1, but viewed from another aspect; and

[0012]FIG. 3 is an assembled view of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0013] Referring to FIGS. 1-2, a computer enclosure in accordance withthe present invention comprises a cage 5 and a cover 80.

[0014] The cage 5 is integrally stamped from a single sheet of metal.The cage 5 comprises a front panel 10, a rear panel 12, and a side panel20. An upper portion of the front panel 10 is rearwardly stamped tointegrally form a rectangular vertical plate 14. The vertical plate 14is perpendicular to the front panel 10, and parallel to and opposite theside panel 20. A rectangular opening 16 is therefore defined in theupper portion of the front panel 10, for insertion of data storagedevices (not shown) therethrough. A top portion of the vertical plate 14is outwardly stamped to form a retaining protrusion 142. A first throughhole 143 is defined in the retaining protrusion 142. A plurality offirst supporting tabs 144 is stamped inwardly from a middle portion ofthe vertical plate 14, one above another. A plurality of lockingapertures 146 is defined in the vertical plate 14 on opposite sides ofthe first supporting tabs 144 respectively, for extensions of screws(not shown) therethrough to engage with the data storage devices. Ateach side of the first supporting tabs 144, the locking apertures 146are disposed one above another. A pair of spaced first through apertures148 is defined in a bottom portion of the vertical plate 14.

[0015] A bottom portion of the side panel 20 is stamped inwardly tointegrally form a horizontal plate 22. A first flange 24 is bentupwardly from a free edge of the horizontal plate 22 to abut an insideof the bottom portion of the vertical plate 14. A pair of spaced secondthrough apertures 25 is defined in the first flange 24, respectivelycorresponding to the first through apertures 148. Rivets (not shown) areextended through the first and second through apertures 148, 25 to formrivet joints between the bottom portion of the vertical plate 14 and thehorizontal plate 22. The combined horizontal plate 22, vertical plate 14and side panel 20 cooperatively constitute a drive bracket. The sidepanel 20 is inwardly stamped to form a plurality of second supportingtabs 26, respectively corresponding to the first supporting tabs 144.The first and second supporting tabs 144, 26 are for supporting the datastorage devices thereon. A plurality of projections 27 is formed on aninside of the side panel 20. One of the projections 27 is located abovethe horizontal plate 22, and the other projections 27 are respectivelylocated above corresponding second supporting tabs 26. Each projection27 sandwiches one of the data storage devices with the vertical plate14. A pair of spring tabs 28 is stamped inwardly from the side panel 20on opposite sides of each projection 27 respectively, for elasticallyabutting a corresponding data storage device to form grounding paths andabsorb vibration.

[0016] The cover 80 comprises a top plate 84, a side plate 82, and abottom plate 86. A second flange 88 depends from the top plate 84adjacent a longitudinal free edge of the top plate 84. A forward portionof the second flange 88 is inwardly stamped to form a recessed portion92, corresponding to the retaining protrusion 142 of the cage 5. Asecond through hole 94 is defined in the recessed portion 92,corresponding to the first through hole 143 of the cage 5.

[0017] Referring also to FIG. 3, in assembly, the cover 80 is attachedto the cage 5 by conventional means. The side plate 82 of the cover 80abuts against the side panel 20 of the cage 5. The top and bottom plates84, 86 of the cover 80 are connected between the front and rear panels10, 12 of the cage 5. The recessed portion 92 of the second flange 88abuts the retaining protrusion 142 of the vertical plate 14. A rivet(not shown) is extended through the second and first through holes 94,143 to form a rivet joint between the second flange 88 and the topportion of the vertical plate 14. The computer enclosure is thuscompletely assembled.

[0018] In the present invention, the drive bracket comprises thevertical plate 14 stamped from the front panel 10 of the cage 5, thebottom plate 22 stamped from the side panel 20, and the side panel 20.The drive bracket, being integrally formed from the cage 5, reducescosts. In addition, production and assembly of the computer enclosure issimplified.

[0019] It is understood that the invention may be embodied in otherforms without departing from the spirit thereof. Thus, the presentexample and embodiment is to be considered in all respects asillustrative and not restrictive, and the invention is not to be limitedto the details given herein.

1. A computer enclosure comprising: a cage comprising a front panel anda side panel, the front panel being stamped rearwardly to integrallyform a vertical plate opposing the side panel, the side panel beingstamped inwardly to integrally form a horizontal plate engaging with thevertical plate, the combined vertical plate, side panel and horizontalplate cooperatively constituting a drive bracket adapted for installingstorage devices therein; and a cover attached to the cage and coveringthe side panel of the cage.
 2. The computer enclosure as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the vertical plate defines a first through aperture ina bottom portion thereof, a first flange extends upwardly from a freeedge of the horizontal plate and abuts the bottom portion of thevertical plate, the first flange defines a second through aperture, anda rivet is extended through the first and second through apertures toform a rivet joint between the bottom portion of the vertical plate andthe horizontal plate.
 3. The computer enclosure as claimed in claim 2,wherein the vertical plate defines a first through hole in a top portionthereof, the cover comprises a top plate and a second flange dependingfrom the top plate, the second flange defines a second through hole, anda rivet is extended through the second and first through holes to form arivet joint between the top portion of the vertical plate and the secondflange.
 4. The computer enclosure as claimed in claim 3, wherein the topportion of the vertical plate is stamped outwardly to form a retainingprotrusion, the second flange is stamped inwardly to form a recessedportion abutting the retaining protrusion, the first through hole isdefined in the retaining protrusion, and the second through hole isdefined in the recessed portion.
 5. The computer enclosure as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the vertical plate and the side panel respectively forma plurality of supporting tabs for supporting data storage devicesthereon.
 6. The computer enclosure as claimed in claim 5, wherein thevertical plate defines a plurality of locking apertures on oppositesides of the supporting tabs for extension of screws therethrough toengage with the storage devices.
 7. The computer enclosure as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the side panel forms a plurality of projections adaptedfor sandwiching the storage devices with the vertical plate, and furtherforms a plurality of spring tabs adapted for abutting against thestorage devices to form grounding paths and absorb vibration.
 8. Acomputer enclosure comprising: a cage having a pair of orthogonalpanels, a first plate being integrally stamped inwardly from one paneland opposing the other panel, a second plate being integrally stampedfrom said other panel and being perpendicular to said one panel, thesecond plate being perpendicular to and engaging with the first plate;wherein the combined first plate, second plate and said other panelcooperatively constitute a drive bracket for installing data storagedevices in the cage; and a cover fixed to the cage.
 9. The computerenclosure as claimed in claim 8, wherein the cover covers the drivebracket.
 10. The computer enclosure as claimed in claim 9, wherein thefirst plate defines a first through aperture in an end portion thereof,a first flange extends perpendicularly from a free edge of the secondplate and abuts an inside of said end portion of the first plate, thefirst flange defines a second through aperture, and a rivet is extendedthrough the first and second through apertures to form a rivet jointbetween said end portion of the first plate and the second plate. 11.The computer enclosure as claimed in claim 10, wherein the first platedefines a first through hole in an opposite end portion thereof, thecover comprises a second flange defining a second through hole, and arivet is extended through the second and first through holes to form arivet joint between said opposite end portion of the first plate and thesecond flange.
 12. The computer enclosure as claimed in claim 8, whereinthe first plate and said other panel respectively form a plurality ofsupporting tabs for supporting data storage devices thereon.
 13. Thecomputer enclosure as claimed in claim 12, wherein the first platedefines a plurality of locking apertures on opposite sides of thesupporting tabs, for extension of screws to engage with the storagedevices.
 14. The computer enclosure as claimed in claim 8, wherein saidother panel forms projections adapted for sandwiching the storagedevices with the first plate, and further forms spring tabs adapted forabutting against the storage devices to form grounding paths and absorbvibration.